New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-24
THE LANGUAGE OF BILLS OF FARE.


A reader OF The TRIBUNE observes with pa
triotic dissatisfaction that ut the New-Englanl
dinner the other day 1.-THE sons of New-England
could not find in the language ordinarily used
and understood in cw-England and the rest Of
the United States words sufficient to describe on
a bill of fare the food OF which they partool1' Al
first sight 10 may appear to our intelligent CORE
spondent an indirect admission Of the poverty OF
the language that the bin of fare at n New-EnS-
land dinner should be largely printed in French.
or in that bastard dialect of French which 30 often
does duty upon such occasions. And 10 may be
said that in all probability many thinSs which
when so presented are apt 10 confuse and embar-
rass the sturdy New Enyandcr could be expressed
in the vcinaculnr. But the custom OF uSin-
French phrases and words upon bills OF fare Is
not altogether the aiTectation our friend seems TO
think It, II Is partly attributable TO the fact
that France still furnishes the best nri lists in cook
cry. Now these artists themselves draw up tho
bills Of fare, often, II not generally. and what
more natural than that they should employ their
native language in doing sol
But II our correspondent objects to the employ
mcnt OF French on bills OF fare he must be re-
minded that il would be very difficult for him or
any New Engander to write bill Of fare for the
most honest and homely and thoroughly American
dinner without using many words which, though
long since adopted English, originally came
from sunny Gaul. We must recall To his recol
lection the Circumstance that when the Language
Of New England was in process OF formation In
Old England, so far back the period Of the Nor
man conquest. tho French ascendancy over what
ever nppertains 10 the table was established in n
significant and peculiar way. The names OF the
animals used for food which the SaXons gave them
were retained regarded the living creatures
hut for the flesh OF the slaughtered beasts Norman
names were taken AMI those Norman names have
ever since been retained When talk OF beef.
veal, mutton. etc, we really not using Anglo
Saxon names, but the French ones which the
Norman conquerors imposed upon our forcfathers.
who no doubt resented the innovation even more
heartily thnn our New England correspondent re
sents the use Of French on the bills Of fare ut the
New England dinner.
There is however, n reason FOR en- loying French
on the modern bill OF fare which is quite pract
cal. II Is that there are many culinary processes
and ARRANGEMENTS and combinations OF food for
which no English definitions can be found. The
French having for many generations pursued the
art and science Of cookery with ardor and success
have, as is always the case in such Undertakings
gradually evolved "A terminology Of the kitchen
This has no analogcs in ENGLISH. because the
English though possessing always robust diet
ary. and though in their former colonies develop
ing n refinement beyond the tutelary skill have
never attained the complcxity and nicely OF dis
elimination and combination developed in France
From these facts IL results that unless many
French dishes arc described in French words they
cannot be described at all Perhaps our CORE
spondent would argue that twere better TO es-
chew them and some may hold this opinion But
these nre liberal and progressive times, and most
men admit that true wisdom lies in taking good
things chccrfully and thankfully. whcnccsocver
they proceed. experience showing that by this pol
icy tho more solid and substantial dishes of New.
England are indeed In no way discrcdited or put
in the shade, but that the healthy palate, after
fri-kn~ and co1uctting awhile the dainty and
toothsome foreign confcctons returns with re-
ncwcd zcst and augmented esteem and admiration
TO those hearty comestibles whose names may be
expressed upon the bin OF fare in such plain Amer
lean as every son Of New England can clearly read